Latest Area News Headlines

MINNESOTA - A sentencing hearing for a serial bank robber known as the “Man in Black” was canceled Monday after the defendant requested to have his six guilty pleas withdrawn. Mark Edward Wetsch is accused of holding up 31 banks, including the bank in Brewster, in a 2012 robbery spree, averaging one bank every eight days over an eight-month period. He ultimately pocketed more than $108,000.

He changed his name in July from Wetsch to Sheik Bilaal Muhammad Arafat, and has previously maintained he is being persecuted because he sympathizes with the terrorist group al-Shabab.

ROUND LAKE – Ferrara Candy Company is asking the city of Round Lake, Nobles County and the Round Lake-Brewster School District for a three-year tax abatement on their Round Lake facility, the former Farley & Sather’s facility. A hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 26.

Ferrara has been marketing the property for sale, and has been presented with an opportunity to lease the facility to AGCO, which would use the property for warehousing and potentially manufacturing. As a condition of the lease, AGCO has requested an abatement for 2014 through 2016 to offset their costs. AGCO...

Hundreds of items are included in this year’s auction, with more items added daily, thanks to the generosity of area businesses. This year’s challenge includes a local match on all funds raised through our online auction up to $10,000. All funds raised will go to providing services to...

WORTHINGTON – Charges have been filed against three Worthington residents who were found to be in possession of several handguns registered as stolen from Borch’s Sporting Goods in Marshall last week.

Michele Lopez, 38, and Julio Hernandez, 19, are charged with possessing a pistol after a felony conviction, possession of stolen property and possessing a pistol without a permit. A 17-year-old juvenile from Estherville was also arrested and charged.
The criminal complaint states a Worthington Police Officer pulled over a vehicle driven by Lopez for a traffic incident, and...

WORTHINGTON – Back in the south corner of the Ground Round parking lot, construction is underway on something that will be the first of its kind on the state of Minnesota. A Tesla Supercharger station with several stalls is being built.

The Tesla Model S automobile, voted the 2013 Motor Trend Car of the Year, can travel approximately 200 miles on a battery charge. A Supercharger is a fast-charge station capable of delivering up to 50 percent battery capacity to Model S in about 20 minutes, roughly 16 times faster than most public charging stations. The stations allow Model S owners...

JACKSON – Jackson native David Ellefson, bassist for the band Megadeth and author of “My Life with Deth” will be in Jackson at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at the Jackson County Central Performing Arts Center for an open Q&A with the audience.

Ellefson will autograph his new autobiography and one Megadeth item per person.

His book chronicles the story of his fall into addiction during Megadeth's early years, followed by his subsequent recovery and the return to faith which championed the bands rise to fame over the past several decades. Books wil be available to...

WORTHINGTON — The 2013 Community Thanksgiving Dinner will be Nov. 28 at First Lutheran Church, 1200 Fourth Ave. All area residents are welcome. Serving will be from noon to 1:15 p.m. Turkey dinners will be delivered to people who are unable to leave their homes. Contact Terry Morrison, 372-7150, and leave a voice message to request delivery, stating name, address and number of meals needed.

Assistance with food preparation and table setup is needed. Volunteers should arrive at the church by 8 a.m. Nov. 28, using the parking lot entrance. Help with general cleanup is also needed...

WORTHINGTON — The Minnesota West Community and Technical College athletic program has been put on probation following an incident at a football game Oct. 26 between the Minnesota West Bluejays and Central Lakes Raiders in Brainerd. The Central Lakes program has also been placed on probation by the Minnesota College Athletic Conference.

According to a letter sent to Minnesota West, the school will be required to have a game site manager attend all football games during the 2014 season. The college’s athletic programs will be on probation for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. Some of...

JACKSON - A woman has been injured in an accidental shooting while hunting in Jackson County. Sheriff Roger Hawkinson on Monday confirmed a 58-year-old female was wounded in her lower leg while deer hunting. More information will be released as it becomes available.

JACKSON - A southwest Minnesota rural electric cooperative has distributed nearly $14,500 in funds to various non-profit entities in its service area.

Officials with Federated Rural Electric Association, based in Jackson, say the funds were made possible through contributions to its “Operation Round-up” program...

WORTHINGTON - In honor of Veteran’s Day, all city, county and state government offices will be closed today, including the law enforcement center at Prairie Justice Center. There will be no mail delivery, but outgoing mail at the Post Office will continue as normal. The Nobles County Library will be closed, as will all area financial institutes. Walmart, Hy-Vee and Fareway will maintain regular hours, and Schaap Sanitation will make regular pick-ups.

WINDOM - One person was injured in a two vehicle broadside accident around 9:30 Saturday morning at the intersection of Highway 71 and...